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one recognize something like that； heya？〃
〃Does anyone else know about this？〃
〃No； except the servants of course； and Shitee T'Chung and some friends who were lunching with me here。 They 。。。 they were here when the parcel arrived。 They； yes； they were here。 They left just before you arrived。〃
Dianne Chen shifted in her chair and said what Dunross was thinking。 〃So of course it will be all over Hong Kong by evening！〃
〃Yes。 And banner headlines by dawn。〃 Dunross tried to collate the multitude of questions and answers flooding his mind。 〃The press'll pick up about the； er； ear and the 'Werewolf' and make it a field day。〃
〃Yes。 Yes they will。〃 Phillip Chen remembered what Shitee T'Chung had said the moment they had all read the letter。 〃Don't pay the ransom for at least a week； Phillip old friend； and you'll be world famous！ Ayeeyah； fancy； a piece of his ear and Werewolf！ Eeeee； you'll be world famous！〃
〃Perhaps it's not his ear at all and a trick；〃 Phillip Chen said hopefully。
〃Yes。〃 If it is John's ear； Dunross thought； greatly perturbed； and if they've sent it on the first day before any negotiation or anything； I'll bet the poor sod's already dead。 〃No point in hurting him like that；〃 he said。 〃Of course you'll pay。〃
〃Of course。 It's lucky we're not in Singapore； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。〃 By law in Singapore now； the moment anyone was kidnapped all bank accounts of the family were frozen to prevent payment to the kidnappers。 Kidnapping had bee endemic there with almost no arrests； Chinese preferring to pay quickly and quietly and say nothing to the police。 〃What a bastard！ Poor old John。〃
Phillip said； 〃Would you like some tea … or a drink？ Are you hungry？〃
〃No thanks。 I'll wait until Brian Kwok gets here then I'll be off。〃 Dunross looked at the box and at the keys。 He had seen the key ring many times。 〃The safety deposit key's missing；〃 he said。
〃What key？〃 Dianne Chen asked。
〃John always had a deposit box key on his ring。〃
She did not move from her chair。 〃And it's not there now？〃
〃No。〃
〃Perhaps you're mistaken。 That he always had it on the ring。〃
Dunross looked at her and then at Phillip Chen。 They both stared back at him。 Well； he thought； if the crooks didn't take it； now Phillip or Dianne have； and if I were them I'd do the same。 God knows what might be in such a box。 〃Perhaps I'm mistaken；〃 he said levelly。
〃Tea； tai…pan？〃 Dianne asked； and he saw the shadow of a smile in the back of her eyes。
〃Yes； I think I will；〃 he said； knowing they had taken the key。
She got up and ordered tea loudly and sat down again。 〃Eeee； I wish they'd hurry up 。。。 the police。〃
Phillip was looking out of the window at the parched garden。 〃I wish it would rain。〃
〃I wonder how much it'll cost to get John back；〃 she muttered。
After a pause； Dunross said； 〃Does it matter？〃
〃Of course it matters；〃 Dianne said at once。 〃Really； tai…pan！〃
〃Oh yes；〃 Phillip Chen echoed。 〃500；000！ Ayeeyah； 500；000 … that's a fortune。 Damn triads！ Well； if they ask five I can settle for 150；000。 Thank God they didn't ask a million！〃 His eyebrows soared and his face became more ashen。 〃Dew neh loh moh on all kidnappers。 They should get the chop … all of them。〃
〃Yes；〃 Dianne said。 〃Filthy triads。 The police should be more clever！ More sharp and more clever and protect us better。〃
〃Now that's not fair；〃 Dunross said sharply。 〃There hasn't been a major kidnapping in Hong Kong for years and it happens every month in Singapore！ Crime's fantastically low here … our police do a grand job … grand。〃
〃Huh；〃 Dianne sniffed。 〃They're all corrupt。 Why else be a policeman if it's not to get rich？ I don't trust any of them。 。。。 We know； oh yes we know。 As to kidnapping； huh； the last one was six years ago。 It was my third cousin； Fu San Sung … the family had to pay 600；000 to get him back safely。 。。。 It nearly bankrupted them。〃
〃Ha！〃 Phillip Chen scoffed。 〃Bankrupt Hummingbird Sung？ Impossible！〃 Hummingbird Sung was a very wealthy Shanghainese shipowner in his fifties with a sharp nose … long for a Chinese。 He was nicknamed Hummingbird Sung because he was always darting from dance hall to dance hall； from flower to flower； in Singapore； Bangkok and Taipei； Hong Kong； dipping his manhood into a myriad of ladies' honey pots； the rumor being it wasn't his manhood because he enjoyed cunnilingus。
〃The police got most of the money back if I remember rightly； and sent the criminals to jail for twenty years。〃
〃Yes； tai…pan； they did。 But it took them months and months。 And I wouldn't mind betting one or two of the police knew more than they said。〃
〃Absolute nonsense！〃 Dunross said。 〃You've no cause to believe anything like that！ None。〃
〃Quite right！〃 Phillip Chen said irritably。 〃They caught them； Dianne。〃 She looked at him。 At once he changed his tone。 〃Of course； dear； some police may be corrupt but we're very lucky here； very lucky。 I suppose I wouldn't mind so much about； about John … it's only a matter of ransom and as a family we've been very lucky so far … I wouldn't mind except for 。。。 for that。〃 He motioned at the box disgustedly。 〃Terrible！ And totally uncivilized。〃
〃Yes；〃 Dunross said； and wondered if it wasn't John Chen's ear； whose was it … where do you get an ear from？ He almost laughed at the ridiculousness of his questions。 Then he put his mind back to pondering if the kidnapping was somehow tied in with Tsu…yan and the guns and Bartlett。 It's not like a Chinese to mutilate a victim。 No； and certainly not so soon。 Kidnapping's an ancient Chinese art and the rules have always been clear： pay and keep silent and no problem； delay and talk and many problems。
He stared out of the window at the gardens and at the vast northern panorama of city and seascape below。 Ships and junks and sampans dotted the azure sea。 There was a fine sky above and no promise of rain weather； the summer monsoon steady from the southwest and he wondered absently what the clippers had looked like as they sailed before the wind or beat up against the winds in his ancestors' time。 Dirk Struan had always had a secret lookout atop the mountain above。 There the man could see south and east and west and the great Sheung Sz Mun Channel which approached Hong Kong from the south … the only path inward bound for ships from home； from England。 From Struan's Lookout； the man could secretly spot the ining mail ship and secretly signal below。 Then the tai…pan would dispatch a fast cutter to get the mails first； to have a few hours leeway over his rivals； the few hours perhaps meaning the trading difference between fortune and bankruptcy … so vast the time from home。 Not like today with instant munication； Dunross thought。 We're lucky … we don't have to wait almost two years for a reply like Dirk did。 Christ； what a man he must have been。
I must not fail with Bartlett。 I must have those 20 million。
〃The deal looks very good； tai…pan；〃 Phillip Chen said as though reading his mind。
〃Yes。 Yes it is。〃
〃If they really put up cash we'll all make a fortune and it'll be h'eung yau for the Noble House；〃 he added with a beam。
Dunross's smile was again sardonic。 H'eung yau meant 〃fragrant grease〃 and normally referred to the money； the payoff； the squeeze； that was paid by all Chinese restaurants； most businesses； all gambling games； all dance halls； all ladies of easy virtue； to triads； some form of triad； throughout the world。
〃I still find it staggering that h'eung yau's paid wherever a Chinese is in business。〃
〃Really； tai…pan；〃 Dianne said as though he were a child。 〃How can any business exist without protection？ You expect to pay； naturally； so you pay never mind。 Everyone gives h'eung yau … some form of h'eung yau。〃 Her jade beads clicked as she shifted in her chair； her eyes dark dark in the whiteness of her face … so highly prized among Chinese。 〃But the Bartlett deal； tai…pan； do you think the Bartlett deal will go through？〃
Dunross watched her。 Ah Dianne； he told himself； you know every important detail that Phillip knows about his business and my business； and a lot Phillip would weep with fury if he knew you knew。 So you know Struan's could be in very great trouble if there's no Bartlett deal； but if the deal is consummated then our stock will skyrocket and we'll be rich again … and so will you be； if you can get in early enough； to buy early enough。
Yes。
And I know you Hong Kong Chinese ladies like poor Phillip doesn't； because I'm not even a little part Chinese。 I know you Hong Kong Chinese ladies are the roughest women on earth when it es to money … or perhaps the most practical。 And you； Dianne； I also know you are ecstatic now； however much you'll pretend otherwise。 Because John Chen's not your son。 With him eliminated； your own two sons will be direct in line and your eldest； Kevin； heir apparent。 So you'll pray like you've never prayed before that John's gone forever。 You're delighted。 John's kidnapped and probably murdered but what about the Bartlett deal？
〃Ladies are so practical；〃 he said。
〃How so； tai…pan？〃 she asked； her eyes narrowing。
〃They keep things in perspective。〃
〃Sometimes I don't understand you at all； tai…pan；〃 she replied； an edge to her voice。 〃What more can we do